Typically, in baseball, when a hitter gets ready to swing the hands are not correctly aligned to deliver the maximum impact on the ball. This is because the ideal placement of the hands at impact point is when the middle knuckles of the hands align with each other. Before the batter swings the knuckles are rarely aligned because it is an unnatural way to align the hands before swinging.
By having the knuckles align to the optimal position during the swing greater accuracy can be achieved. What is needed is a sleeve that allows the batter to have optimal grip, while still being loose enough to allow the hands to rotate, reducing friction, hand abrasions, blisters, and providing for better accuracy.
Other prior art devices have attempted to solve this problem but have failed for numerous reasons. One competing grip is meant to be placed directly on the bat and under the standard grip or replacement grip as opposed to over any existing grip. This changes the nature of the bat and limits it only to players that desire a bat with the grip as the grip can not be moved out of the way for another batter.
Other prior art solutions teach grips that are pieced together by a notch system that attaches the around the handle as opposed to a single piece that can be pulled or rolled over the knob of the bat as taught by the present invention. Again, the failure in the prior art is to teach a grip that is not specified for a baseball bat only. Additionally, the grip must be fastened to the bat in some manner as opposed to having the option of being free moving or stationary. Such grips are intended to have a snug grip on the handle as opposed to an approximately ⅛th of an inch of free space between materials and is not allowed to completely twist freely.
Yet other prior art solutions teach a grip that is meant to be used with only one hand as opposed to both at the same time.
The rotating sleeve of the present invention does not alter the original bat or swinging implement, as all other devices known and taught in the prior art do to some degree. Additionally, the rotating sleeve of the present invention is useable for all hand types and sizes. Other systems taught and known in the prior art, such as the knuckle system, have notches that may not fit all hand types. The second under grip assumes that the hands are large enough to utilize the top part of the grip. Existing art is not flexible enough to accommodate all hand sizes especially small hands, such as children.
What is needed is a grip or sleeve that is removable and easily fits over the handle of a baseball bat that allows the hands and wrists to rotate freely and reduces surface friction, which in turn decreases the likelihood of the user developing blisters.